


Quite a Bad Day. For Some.

by CornflakesArentReal



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark Harry, Dumbledore Bashing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Horcruxes, I Don't Even Know, Kinda, M/M, Weasley Bashing, again kinda, not evil but not good Dumbledore, same old story, shrug, will probably add tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-11 20:17:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7906168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CornflakesArentReal/pseuds/CornflakesArentReal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry, being himself, touches something he shouldn't and changes the course of the future of Wizarding history. Just another day, huh?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Harry was having a bad day. This, of course, was nothing new by any means. Harry is quite used to them. This bad day didn’t even really top the list, but it was still a very bad day. He started it out jerking awake from another dream of Voldemort, and quickly running to go lose his dinner from the night before. Voldemort sure can be inventive if given the motivation, he’ll give him that. He was of course still plagued by the memory of the things Voldemort had done so breakfast was a no. A bad start to an overall very bad day.

After showering to wake up, Harry went down and got himself a plate of breakfast. A simple one of an egg and a piece of toast. Despite the small quantity he wasn’t able to do more than pick at his food and think about the nightmare. Harry was pulled from his withdrawn mood by Sirius walking up behind him. He could see Sirius look at his face and then down to his plate. Harry usually doesn’t eat much, but he usually eats something. The times he doesn’t usually are because of one cause, like this time.

“Another one, Prongslet?” Sirius asked with a hint of sadness in his voice though there’s more in his eyes. Sirius made sure to say it quietly and Harry knew that Sirius was not trying to make a big deal out of it for his sake and couldn’t help a rush of gratitude. For all that he loves Mrs. Weasley, her coddling can be a bit overwhelming, especially for one not used to it. Harry nodded slightly to his godfather before continuing to pick at his breakfast. 

It wasn’t long before Hermione and Ron came down for breakfast, both arguing about something. Nothing new there. Harry only listened for a short bit, enough to realize it was just about schoolwork. Again, nothing new there.

“Really Ronald, I’ve told you a million times you need to actually try with your summer assignments! How else to expect to be prepared for the new year?” Hermione shouted in a shrill voice, not noticing Harry’s slight flinch as a sharp pain went through his head. If he didn’t have a headache before he certainly does now. 

“C’mon ‘Mione, I’m sure they’ll go over it in class like they always do. Beside, the professors that don’t it wouldn’t matter anyways! It’s not like that greasy bat really cares if try with our work anyways, he’d grade it how he wants no matter what!” Well, thinks Harry, he does have a point there. Snape was always giving them a lower grade than what they deserved. Harry and Ron just gave up actually trying to get a decent grade while Hermione continues to give it her usual even if it’ll never get her an outstanding. 

Harry quickly tunes them out while continuing to look down at his breakfast. It isn’t long before everyone has arrived at the table and the mood picks up. Harry can feel his own mood rise with it as he listens to the conversations going on around him. Ron and Hermione’s argument seems to have shifted to the predictable line of how one should respect their professors. Molly is helpfully adding food to those plates she feels needs them, while scolding the twins about apparating all about the house. The twins seem to casually disregard the scolding with a practiced ease, probably of years of experience Harry would guess. Tonks seems to be doing her usual of knocking things over and filling the room with her rather happy demeanor. The happiness is a nice break from all that’s happening outside of the house. 

Of course that mood quickly takes a dive when Molly gets around to Harry to add food to his plate only to see it full. She looks at his face as Sirius had and sees how tired he looks, but unlike Sirius, she doesn’t say something quietly.

“Harry, sweetie, I know the dreams are hard but you really should try and eat some.” He can tell she’s trying to be kind but it doesn’t feel that way when everyone quiets and looks at him, some looking at his scar to see if it’s inflamed. He can distantly hear Sirius sigh but all he can pay attention to is how he can practically feel the pity that they’re all sending him. He’s starting to see where Ron gets his tact, or lack of he should say. The stares and the pressing quiet eventually becomes too much and Harry quickly and quietly excuses himself from the kitchen. He hears Sirius calling his name before quickly starting an argument with Mrs.Weasley when he realizes Harry isn’t going to come back. 

He loves them all, but really, it can be a bit much at times. Harry decides to just wander about the house, careful to avoid Mrs. Black’s portrait and the elf heads on the walls. He’d wander outside but it’s not worth the fuss that’d cause. He first stops at his room to get his trunk. After the events of the end of the tournament and the dementor attack over the summer he’s learned that maybe paranoia has something going for it. He never wanted to be unprepared again if he could help it. As soon as he could he had gotten a new trunk, one that could shrink down with just a password instead of having to use a wand. The password is of course in parseltongue, even with Voldemort being one Harry’s chances are still better than if it was in english. 

He quickly shrunk it down with a hiss of the name of one of his primary teachers. He figured it was a good password as anyone that knew them wouldn’t have any reason to open his trunk, or be able to of course. Harry put his shrunken trunk into his pocket and made sure his wand was safely secured in his holster against his forearm. After dropping his wand one too many times he finally decided to look into a solution while on the same trip for his trunk and other supplies. Ollivander’s sold him a nice holster that was invisible to anyone but him and undetectable to a simple search. With just a simple flick of his wrist it would shoot down into his hand. He’ll admit it took some practise to not have it simply shoot out and fly and hit something.

Downstairs he can hear more yelling as Kreacher and Sirius get in another spat of some sort. Used to such an occurrence, Harry decides to ignore it and continue walking about. He cautiously peeks into the rooms he knows aren’t being used, though there’s only a few so it doesn’t take long to come across a room he’d never really noticed before. Deciding that there wasn’t anything better to do he tried the door. It opened easily, which he can’t say didn’t surprise him a little bit. 

Walking into the room he looks around, noticing that there doesn’t seem to be much of anything personal in the room. He remembers seeing the name on the door so he knows the room was used but it almost seems more like a guest room than anything. He sees a few pictures around the room but he doesn’t really recognize the man in them, but he does see that he’s a Black. He has the same eyes and hair as all of them. 

Harry turns his head around as he hears the argument downstairs reach a higher pitch but turns back around when nothing else besides that seems to happen. Sirius is going to lose his voice, Harry thinks to himself. Deciding to snoop around in the mysterious room Harry starts opening some of the drawers around the room. After finding nothing but old clothes, showing that was indeed someone living in the room, Harry continues looking about. He spots a cupboard in the corner of his eye. It’s a bit odd, crammed into the corner and not in the best condition. Everything else seems to be in fairly good condition, another sign on Kreacher’s favoritism no doubt. Deciding there couldn’t be too much harm, and of course he just had to think that before opening it, he pulled open the doors.

He hears a pop and the angry yelling of Kreacher at the doorway but he’s too focused on the gold necklace, or would it be called a locket Harry thinks dazedly. In the back of his mind he can tell Kreacher is trying to stop him, but he isn’t fast enough and Harry grabs the locket. The last thing he hears is Kreacher screaming and footsteps pounding down the hallway before everything went black and the world goes silent.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay for more OOC and likely typos.

Several things happen in quick succession. First Harry’s body hits the floor, eyes shut and body lax. Second, Kreacher reaches Harry and starts to try to pull the locket from his hands, but Harry’s hands refuse to budge. When Harry’s hands refuse to let go of the locket Kreacher starts to hit him, both in anger and in an attempt to wake him. Finally the last thing to happen is Sirius and the others stopping at the doorway, only to see Kreacher screaming and hitting an unconscious Harry. Sirius is the first to react and runs in and grabs Kreacher off Harry and starts shaking the elf. It quickly devolves into a screaming match between the two, Sirius yelling about what happened to his godson while Kreacher just responds by yelling about the locket. 

While the two argue the others, predominantly Remus and Mrs. Weasley crowd around Harry and start trying to get him to wake up. Mr. Weasley quickly runs off to floo Dumbledore while they continue to wake him. When Remus tries to grab the locket he is also unable to make Harry’s fingers move, he’d have to break them to free the locket. If he had to say based off the hand, it would almost seem the boy had been petrified, except for the fact the rest of his body was lax and his eyes were closed. Mrs. Weasley keeps gently patting Harry’s face and calling his name while Remus and the others try and figure out what happened. The children are all standing along the walls of the room trying to see Harry while not being in the way. It’s about this time that Dumbledore enters the room.

His presence both calms and heightens the situation. Everyone starts talking to him at once, except Sirius and Kreacher who are both still screaming at each other. Eventually Dumbledore gets everyone to settle down, including the elf and his master, though the last two are the most grudgingly to do so. Dumbledore walks over to the unconscious boy and quickly notices the gold in the boy’s palm. After using his wand to move Harry’s hand to see what it is, his face quickly goes blank. 

“It would seem that Harry here grabbed something which he shouldn’t have. I do believe he should be fine, nothing to worry about,” he says smiling, that ever present twinkle in his eyes. “Though I do believe there is a better place for the boy than the cold ground.” 

Several people nod and quickly move forward to lift the boy but Remus beats them to it and spells Harry to follow behind him as he leads the group to Harry’s room. Carefully laying the boy down on the bed, they look to the Headmaster to see what is to be done next. Dumbledore stares at Harry for a few seconds before humming. “I’m sure the boy will be fine, I can get Pomfrey to come and make sure but I’m sure we just need to wait it out,” he says before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a sweet and popping it in his mouth. He smiles again at the group, “just make sure the boy is getting what he needs and I’m sure he’ll be right as rain when he wakes up, now if you excuse me I need to be getting back,” he says before walking out the room and presumably to the floo.

The group look at each other briefly before calmly leaving the room until all that’s left is Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Ron. They all stare at Harry before also leaving the room, though at a slower pace and more worried than the others.

___

Albus Dumbledore quickly steps out of the floo and into his office at Hogwarts. He immediately starts pacing, for the moment ignoring the worried trills from Fawkes. He tries to think through all the new information. His plans were in severe need of altering.

He eventually stops pacing and goes to sit in his chair, picking up another sweet on the way. He sits down and smiles at Fawkes. Yes, he thinks to himself, it’s a setback but things will go according to plan. He hums as he puts the sweet in his mouth. 

___

Back at Grimmauld Place the group sat at the table once again, some chatting quietly about the events while others sit there quietly in thought. Eventually it becomes too much for some though.  
“What was that he had in his hand anyways, that necklace or whatever?” Ron asked, looking around the table at the adults. Most of the adults were doing the same, truth be told, though most were looking at Sirius as it was his elf that seemed to be the one to know what was going on. Sirius, noticing the looks he was getting sighed.

“Hell if I know. All I know is that barmy elf apparently was hiding it before Harry touched it.” The rest of anything coming from his mouth were grumbles about the elf so most lost interest in what he was saying. Not that he noticed. It took the floo going and Madam Pomfrey, closely followed by Severus Snape, walking out to make him quiet. 

“What’s the boy done now?” Snape asked with a sneer, and those could tell he’d be whining if it weren’t so beneath him. His comment earned him several glares, and Remus had to grip Sirius’ arm to make sure he didn’t do anything. Harry needed as much help as he can get, Remus thinks to himself.

“It would seem that he touched a dark artifact and is currently unconscious. We need to know it’s not harming him in any way.” Remus, the most calm one, says as he gets up and starts to lead the two to Harry’s room.

“What a surprise, the boy touching something without thinking and getting hurt,” Snape grumbles to himself. Remus, of course hearing, clenches his teeth but says nothing. Pomfrey quickly walking ahead of them reaches the room first and immediately sighs. 

“I swear the boy needs a hospital bed within ten feet of him at all times with how often trouble follows him,” she says, somewhat fondly, as she casts off different diagnostic spells. Snape snorted but unpacked his case of potions anyways.

Remus sent one last look at Harry before sighing and walking out of the room.

___

Harry got his sense of smell back first. The smell of dust, of burning wood, the smell of old books was quite strong as well. He then could hear the fire going, just the right amount of wood for a decent one. The flip of a page of a book. It was that, that jump started the rest. He could suddenly feel the feeling of the cushions underneath him, feel the cool air around him, feel his heart beating quickly. Most importantly though he could see, and what he was seeing was a pair of amused crimson eyes looking back at him.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry sat there for a brief second, staring at Voldemort in confusion before jumping up and flicking his wrist. Only for no wand to pop from his holster. He checks his arm for his holster and wand, only to find it missing. He fumbles for his pockets to find his trunk similarly missing. He quickly hides behind the couch, not noticing the amused eyes following his movements. He jerks his head around the room looking for an escape only to realize there’s no door or windows. He’s trapped. He can feel his already quick heart rate rise even more, his breathing starts to shorten. 

A softly spoken “Are you quite done?” though freezes him. He can feel his mind focus and he starts checking his surroundings with more focus than his fear filled brain could comprehend past escapes and possible weapons. The room he’s in is… cozy? 

Filled with floor to ceiling bookcases stuffed with books, the source of the smells he first woke up with. He can tell from the closest bookcase that the books vary from every type of possible topic from Hogwarts a History to Dark Art books that make him a bit hesitant to even be near. 

A semi-polite cough startles him and turns and peeks around the couch only to be brought up short once again. Is there anything here that won’t surprise him? That’s all Harry think as he stares at Voldemort. The Voldemort he knows doesn’t look the one if front of him. The one he knows has pure white skin, no nose and a bald head. This one is… not quite that. He looks wrong but not Voldemort level. He looks more like a mix between Tom Riddle and Voldemort, but how? 

“Would you rather sit on the couch or continue hiding behind it?” The man, Voldemort, says with a raised eyebrow. Harry can’t help flushing even while glaring at the other. He stiffly stands up but refuses to sit down on the couch.

“Where’s my stuff?” Harry demands, trying to decide whether to ignore or embrace the odd things about the man in front of him. His skin is waxy and looks tight, his nose already looking deformed though he can’t quite tell how. Harry offhandedly remembers Riddle from the chamber and almost feels sad that the handsome boy turned into this. Almost.

“And what would your ‘stuff’ be, my dear?” Tom, Voldemort, Marvolo asks with a cocky smirk, somehow still slightly attractive even with the grotesque way the skin stretches and pushes together from the movement. Harry decides ignoring is his best best for now.

“My wand! My trunk! What’d you do with them?” Harry growls at him, or tries to anyways. He can’t help but be unsettled by the man. Why was he not trying to kill him? ‘My dear’?? 

“Ahh, I see. There is no need for such things as wands in the mind. I’m sure your wand and trunk are still where you left them, have no worries.” Marvolo says before returning to the book in front of him. Harry can’t see the title with how the man is holding it but he’s sure he doesn’t want to know. 

“This is my mind?” Harry asks confusedly looking around. Why would this be his mind? He hasn’t read most of these books, and he would’ve thought that his mind would look like Gryffindor’s common room or something if it looked like a room at all.

“Hm?” Marvolo looks back up from his book, “oh, no of course not. You are simply here as your conscious. This is no one’s mind but you are simply your mind here, no body, just consciousness, understand?” He then continues to read his book, seemingly uninterested in his new guest and the conversation between them. Well, thinks Harry, that seems like I Riddle I know, uh minus the murdery bit. Right, about that.

“Why aren’t you trying to kill me?” Harry asks cautiously. “Not that I’m complaining!” He quickly adds.

“I would never hurt a brother of mine, no matter how annoying. Now please, go get a book and sit.” Harry starts to argue but a look from Marvolo quickly quiets him. He sighs and looks for a book and picks a random Defense book. Maybe he can learn something while he waits. He’ll get his answers eventually.

\---

Hermione stands beside Remus as they both stare at Harry who continues to appear to be sleeping. It’s been days and Harry hasn’t moved a muscle, not even his grip relaxing on that locket. Pomfrey and Snape had both deduced that while not physically hurt in any way, Harry has been apparently been put into a coma of sorts. How, though, is something that is still unknown. Pomfrey had been coming over when she could to check for any signs of improvement, and even Snape had been pitching in, though most likely because he was ordered to. 

School starts in just a few days and there’s no signs of Harry waking anytime soon. Maybe never again for all they know. It’s a frightening thought. What if Harry never wakes again? She can’t help but think that if Harry never wakes up again they’re doomed. She feels slightly guilty about only thinking of Voldemort when her friend is in a coma but she can’t help it. The thought of not having their hero to protect them, even if she tries to see him as anything but, is a hard one to swallow.

“Professor?” Hermione asks quietly, turning her head toward the tired looking man. Both Sirius and Remus had been looking so tired since the incident, and even more so after hearing the results from the healer.

“Yes?” He answers. He would usually make a remark about calling him Remus instead of professor but he’s just been so worried. It doesn’t help that the full moon is close. His wolf just wants his cub back.

“What happens if school starts and he’s still… asleep?” She asks cautiously. It’s a hard topic to bring up to anyone. Especially any of the adults. Mrs. Weasley always quickly puts down any talk on it.

“I just don’t know, Ms. Granger”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired :)

The first of September was quickly approaching, and with it came the ever feeling of dread at the prospect of Harry not waking up in time. Eventually the members of the Order had to discuss what would happen should Harry still be in a coma by the time school started. Some wanted him to stay there, at Grimmauld, while others thought Hogwarts would be best. Grimmauld was more secure but didn’t have trained healers on hand, which meant a larger chance of Harry getting mistreated on accident.

As the date approached the arguments reached a new fevered pitch until Dumbledore had to step in and settle things down. 

“I believe that for now it would be best if Harry were to stay at Hogwarts unless he should need to be moved. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape will take care of the lad just fine. It’d be even better should he wake up since he will already be at the school with his friends. I’m sure Harry would appreciate for his friends near when he wakes.” Dumbledore says, some nodding while others frown. Sirius is the only one to speak up against him though.

“We could take care of him here! He’s my godson, don’t I get to get a say in this?” He shouts. Harry was his to take care of! Didn’t they see that? He was never even given a chance. It felt like as soon as he got Harry back he was taken away. The cycle of getting and losing Harry, over and over. 

“What good care you’ve shown since his birth, Black” Snape drawls. “Running after a criminal instead of your godson, and getting locked up for a decade. Truly such a marvelous track record.” 

“You dirty -” Both Sirius and Remus shot out of their seats, wands in hand, only to be interrupted by both Snape and Dumbledore.

“Do remember who is taking care of the brat. Remember that it isn’t you.” Snape finishes with a smirk and a harsh glare at the two Marauders. 

“I believe that is enough, gentlemen,” Dumbledore says in a cold tone. “I’ve already decided, Harry will go to Hogwarts and be seen by Madame Pomfrey, and Professor Snape, should he be needed. Should Harry be awake by the holidays we’ll see about him visiting here. That is all, no more discussion.”

\---

It was a quiet train ride back to Hogwarts, Harry’s part in the conversation a gaping hole. The one who didn’t seem to mind the awkward feeling was the girl Luna. Hermione already disliked her for her instance on made of creatures being real, but she couldn’t help but dislike her even more for seeming to not care about their friend being in a coma. She shouldn’t be too hard on her as it’s not as if Luna herself was friends with the boy. She could at least stop humming and smiling while everyone else is so down though!

\---

“So…” Harry says with a grin, only to get a sigh in return. “Brothers huh?”

“Please read your book” Marvolo grits out, clutching his book in his hands. Harry’s sure that if Marvolo didn’t care so much about books and not hurting his ‘brother’ or whatever that the book would have been thrown by now. Harry’s just hoping the older man doesn’t have good aim.

“I did read my book, so you should tell me what you meant by the whole brother thing. Pretty sure I’m not Voldemort’s long lost brother or anything.” Harry sends back with a raised eyebrow. He’s internally shuddering at the thought of being any way related with Voldemort. Ew, just… ew. 

Marvolo sighs once more, this must be a record of some sort, before finally closing his book and looking up at Harry. The boy almost regrets getting the man’s attention now with those crimson eyes just staring at him. He wants to look away, but he promised himself to never back down to something as simple as a stare. Marvolo is the first to break the stare, more out of resignation than any kind of submission. The man briefly rubs at his temples before looking back up at Harry and explaining.

“You’re not Voldemort’s brother, you’re my brother. It’s completely different. I am starting to regret bringing in someone quite so annoying. And stupid.” Marvolo looks back down to his book and looks as if he’d much rather be reading than be in any way a part of this conversation.

“What does that even mean though?! You and Voldemort are the same! If I’m one’s brother why am not the others?!” Harry is shouting by now in frustration. You’d think the man would just properly explain it, what with there being not much else to talk about.

“I am only but a part of Voldemort.” Marvolo responds in his usual bored manner, sprinkled with a bit of frustration and annoyance.

“But what does that have to do with me?!” Harry finally screams out, only for it to make Marvolo’s expression go from annoyed to blank in an instant. It’s rather disconcerting for Harry as he had gotten used to more emotion from the man during the short period he’d been in the room with him. This emotionless face reminds him just who he’s talking to. Not just anyone but Voldemort himself, even if he doesn’t seem to be wanting to harm him at the moment. Marvolo slowly stands up and walks around, keeping his back to Harry, thus hiding his face from the boy. The man stands there staring a bookcase before humming and muttering something to himself.

“Marvolo what -” Harry tries to say more but after the first word Marvolo whips around to face him, his eyes intense and Harry can’t seem to make a sound. Can’t seem to do more than stare wide eyed at the man. He might have encountered Voldemort a few times already, all almost costing him his life, but he’s never seen Voldemort so… intense. 

“How do you know that name? You shouldn’t know that, how do you know it?” Marvolo harshly whispers at him. Harry is still frozen and it takes him a second to realize what the man is talking about, but when he does he pales as he realizes what he’s done.

Oh Merlin, how is he supposed to get out of this.


	5. Chapter 5

After forty years of solitude it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise how deeply a newcomer to his… abode for lack of a better term, has affected him. At first it was as simple as a need to protect his brother. Despite how much he may hate being trapped in such a way, he cares more for his soul to remain safe. Even if that apparently means dragging a brat into his ‘home’. 

He really is starting to regret that.

First the brat flailing about trying to escape and now with his incessant need to ask questions. Questions he should already know the answers to. Really, how does the boy not understand how they’re brothers? Yes, it’s odd with him being another person, he had never even given such an idea a thought. It just shows how far his counterpart has come, really. 

Eventually he explains the, quite simple, concept of them being brothers without being brothers to the stupid boy. Really, Voldemort should have explained everything to the boy, shouldn’t he?

It isn’t until the boy asks what it has to do with him that it all clicks for him. It’s honestly embarrassing that he didn’t see it as soon as the boy asked. The boy just doesn’t know he’s a part of Voldemort. Of course. Is that why the boy wasn’t being protected? Why isn’t his counterpart protecting the boy? Did he purposely lead the boy to the cave for this to happen? That must be it! There can’t be any other explanation. Anything else would be… unacceptable. He hums to himself as he calms down. He has to be right.

“Marvolo what-” and, wait… what. He quickly turns toward the boy. That name. That disgusting name. He would never tell anyone that name so how did the boy learn it? How much does the boy know? He refuses to believe that his original would ever let anyone, even a part of him, call him by that name.

“How do you know that name? You shouldn’t know that, how do you know it?” He can’t help but demand. He’s trying hard to not slip into parseltongue, to not lose himself to the rage flowing through him. It doesn’t help when he sees the boy pale. So he knows the importance. How though? How does he know?

“Uh well, I mean..” the boy stutters out, obviously trying to figure out what to say to the upset man. It just infuriates him even more.

“Do not lie to me!” He shouts at the frightened boy. How dare the boy even think about lying to him! He can feel his magic picking up and surrounding the boy, putting pressure on him. The boy swallows at the feeling of the dark magic, magic that is all too obviously ready to strike at any second. Some of the books around the room start to shake as the boy remains quiet, some even falling off their shelves. The man pays no attention to it and keeps his focus on the boy in front of him.

“Your diary! I learned it from your diary! He told me Voldemort’s name!” The boy shouts this out quickly, seeing as the magic was getting more and more volatile the longer he tested the man’s patience. 

The diary. Of course. The stupid child of himself… of course it’d be him. He’s starting to worry all his brothers are this annoying. They better not be. One can hope, he supposes.

“Explain. Now,” he demands. The boy, and he really should ask for name to make them even, opens his mouth to complain most likely. A simple look from the man quickly puts a stop to that and so the boy just sighs and casts him a hesitant look before starting to explain.

\---

Dumbledore had been going through the start of term speech when he had been, quite rudely, interrupted by the new teacher at Hogwarts. Hermione didn’t like disrespecting authority figures but with Umbridge, it was difficult already. The woman was… not the most appealing, in looks or attitude thus far. Though she had scolded him for it, Ron’s remark on her looking rather like a toad was not too far off the mark. As the woman made her own speech even Hermione herself was having a slight difficulty with paying attention to what was being said. Though afterwards she was quite glad she had.

Turning towards her friends she noticed all of them chatting with each other, not paying any attention to the woman who was finally going back to her seat and sitting down. Ron looked to be half asleep and it was only Dumbledore’s announcement of food did he seem to wake up, only to then immediately start grabbing the food around him.

“Some speech huh, mates? Nearly put me to sleep!” Ron says between bites of food. Everyone that knows him knows to carefully not to look near his mouth while he was eating, so no one paid any mind to the food bits flying from his mouth with each word. 

“It most certainly was! I can’t believe it!” Hermione said with a bit of worry in her voice. There was a chance it would be fine, but with the track record of the Ministry so far she couldn’t help but get a bad feeling. 

“Wait, you mean you actually listened to what she was saying? Well, ‘pose it’s not much a surprise with you ‘Mione,” Ron says with a bit of incredulity before taking another large bite of his food. Both Neville and Ginny though catch the worry in her voice and both look to her.

“She’s a Ministry official who was sent here by the Minister himself,” she elaborates to the boy, making her two other friends to quickly match her look of worry.

“Well, what’s that mean though?” Ron says, not getting it.

“It means, Ronald, that the Ministry is interfering with Hogwarts.”

Suddenly all of them, finally including Ron, were staring down at their plates thinking about how the upcoming year would be. Ron and Hermione both wishing Harry would be here as he always seems to know what to do in situations like this. Ginny and Neville were also both thinking about Harry, but more what it would mean for his health to have the Ministry crawling around while he’s so vulnerable. It was definitely going to be an interesting year.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how to work with time when it comes to events happening in and outside the locket. Sorry about that.

Luna was walking to the Great Hall the next morning, humming softly to herself, when she was surprised by her girlfriend.

“Hi there! So, will you tell me anything?” Ginny says enthusiastically, kissing Luna on the cheek before reaching to grab the other girl’s hand. Ever since the train ride to Hogwarts she knew Luna had Seen at least some of the year. She was too calm in the face of everyone’s worries not to have. Although Ginny thinks Luna didn’t always See everything, she also hid it when she did so the red head couldn’t ever tell. 

“I don’t think I’ll say anything yet. At least not until it’s needed,” Luna replies in her usual dreamy voice before tugging Ginny and continuing to skip to breakfast. Ginny, knowing not to push it, decided to instead talk about some of her friends from Gryffindor and their latest fun happenings. Ginny smiles at the skipping girl while swinging their arms a bit making Luna smile back.

It isn’t until they reach the Great Hall that they separate, Ginny giving Luna another kiss on the cheek, getting another soft smile from the blonde. With a cheerful, “see you later in class,” Ginny turns and walks toward the Gryffindor table. Luna stands there a second before humming to herself and calmly walking to her own spot at the Ravenclaw table. Yes, she thinks to herself, this year will be a good one.

\---

Madame Pomfrey walks around the infirmary, making sure everything is as it should be. After seeing to all the potions and beds she walks over to one of her favorite, and least favorite, students. After cleaning him with a wave of a wand and making any waste disappear she sends some spells his way making sure he’s still healthy, doing so shows some interesting results. His body seems to be showing signs of stress, which means he’s responding to some sort of stimuli! She quickly rushes over to the floo and calls the Headmaster’s office. 

“Albus! You should come! It’s about Harry,” she says in a rush before going back to the boy. After spending the short time waiting for Albus continuing to check on Harry, Dumbledore finally walks out the floo and over to her next to the boy. He looks down at the boy and sees his relaxed face and looks back up at the mediwitch waiting for an explanation. 

“Harry’s body seems to be showing some signs of stress, nothing too bad thankfully, but enough to be slightly concerning. I checked him over last night and saw no such thing so it likely happened over night.” As she continues bustling around the boy, she doesn’t notice the Headmaster’s glance down at the locket in the boy’s hand. She does, however, notice the man’s frown.

“What is it, do you have any idea what it could be from?” She asks him. He pauses for a moment before smiling at her and responding.

“I’m sure it was just from move from Headquarters to here. It must have just taken a while for it to set in I’m sure. Now, if you excuse me I’ll be heading to breakfast” She gives him a look but eventually nods and turns back and freshens up the boy’s bed while the Headmaster floos back to his office.

\---

Harry was tired after his retelling of his experience of meeting the diary. Marvolo’s face had been blank throughout the story, with only flashes of emotion or a minute twitch of an eyebrow, both things unreadable to Harry. It was unnerving telling the story to someone so blank, but whenever he would slow down to stop before the end Marvolo would always speak a quiet “continue” and that would be that.

After he finally finished the man had stayed quiet, just staring at the boy in silence. Harry, used to it and tired, just raised an eyebrow in response. It’s odd though, despite however long it must have been since he first appeared in the locket, he wasn’t actually physically tired. Emotionally tired yes, but he doesn’t feel like he needs any sleep. Though he can get a general sense somehow, he can’t even tell how long he’s been here. The thought frightens him but almost as soon as the fear of time washes over him a wave of calm quickly replaces it. At first he’s confused before he realizes there must be some magic in place for there to not be any worry on how much time has passed.

He thinks about how long it’s been for the man and almost feel pity. He’d have gone mad, or more mad anyways, had there been no spells preventing it. Looking around, the amount of books make a lot more sense than they did before. At first he saw it more a luxury, a bonus, now he sees it as the necessity it really is.

During Harry’s epiphany, Marvolo was still trying to come to terms with everything. He had been wrong. His counterpart had not been protecting the boy; from the sound of it, his brother and counterpart were enemies! That damn diary as well! His younger brother must have been able to tell that the boy was one of them but still tried to kill him. He never would have thought he’d been such a foolish brat. 

Marvolo will admit he was impressed when he learned the boy in front of him had killed a basilisk when he was even smaller than he is now, and he is truly tiny. Even though he’s impressed doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel sad that the basilisk is now dead. She had been the closest thing to a friend that he might have had. Now gone because of the actions of himself and a twelve year old boy. Almost sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, he thinks morosely to himself. 

After collecting himself, Marvolo focuses on the boy, who seems to be looking around with a look of realization. He pays it no mind as he thinks about what all of this means. How did his counterpart become what he is according to the boy? Why doesn’t he know about the boy being a part of himself? He can’t help but also wonder why the boy in front of him is so tiny as well. Surely he can’t be normally that tiny and thin?

“You will explain everything,” he demands imperiously to the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering I was thinking Luna to be pan and sex repulsed and Ginny to be bi romantic and heterosexual. Shrug.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a wary bunch that walked into the Defense classroom; no one knew what to expect. Though they had gotten used to the feeling of weariness when it came to the newest professor, they couldn’t help but feel worse about this one. All the previous professors were rather a blank slate until the first class. 

Quirrel had had average talk about him, not much to be said overall, until the first class and no one could understand him. Later turning out to be Voldemort wasn’t too great for the confidence in the Defense teachers. Lockhart had seemed over the top but not too bad, again until the first class where any of the sensible ones realized they would be learning nothing except for what Lockhart wanted them to know about himself. Later trying to attack a student and losing his memory because of it made them all the more worried, though not too much. Then in third year they thought that maybe this year would break the expectations, and while Professor Lupin had been amazing, he too tried to attack them. Even if it wasn’t by his own intent. 

Let’s not even start with fourth year. 

So, because of that, their little friend group were understandably ready for anything. Hermione was the one most willing to give the professor a chance, but even she was hesitant after the speech from the start of term feast. She recalls Harry talking about a woman at his trial afterwards and remarking about her appearance being similar to a toad, to paraphrase as nicely as possible. She remembers what he says and hope with everything that it’s not the same woman.If it is the same woman it would cause so much trouble for them. Harry’s on their side, so anyone trying to get him expelled was certainly not on their side. 

Sitting down, they all chat to themselves as they wait for class to start. Once it does, Umbridge stands up and ‘hem-hem’s, making the children quiet down and look at her. She smiles.

“Good morning children!” Umbridge says to them. They all pause at the tone. They aren’t five! Looking at each other the students mumble a ‘good morning’ back. Umbridge tsks. “Now that won’t do at all! Louder please. Now, good morning children!” Getting a louder and more clear response she smiles before picking up her sheet of students names. Calling out names to see who’s here she pauses after saying Harry Potter. She looks up with almost a feral look. After getting no response and not seeing the boy her look becomes a look of hidden disappointment. Soon after the feral look comes back. “No Mr. Potter hm? Already skipping class is he?” Umbridge says with a smile. Hermione raises her hand before speaking.

“Professor Umbridge? Harry’s in the infirmary now. He couldn’t make it to class I’m afraid.” Umbridge looks at her with a frown before humming and smiling once more. Doesn’t her face hurt from so much smiling?

“Already in the infirmary is he? That won’t do at all. I’ll have to see something done about that.” This causes Harry’s friends to share a worried look. What would she do? Would Harry be safe? After finishing up, Umbridge pulls out her rather short wand and flicks it at the board and starts going over what they’ll be learning. After explaining everything she tells them to start reading their book. Hermione, noticing a problem, raises her hand. It takes a while, but most people have stopped reading their books and are looking at Hermione raising her hand and Umbridge ignoring her. Eventually Umbridge notices most are waiting for whatever is about to happen to actually happen and with an annoyed face, she turns to Hermione.

“Yes, Ms. Granger? Were my instructions not clear enough?” She asks, condescendingly. Hermione bristles at the tone but quickly gathers herself.

“I noticed from the plan of the year there were no plans of any practical work?” She says, causing a hush to go through the room and all the others students turning to the board to realize that yes, there were no plans of actually learning any spells.

“And why, might I ask, would there be any need for wands or spells in this room? It is perfectly safe, there is no need for them.” Umbridge responds with that, ever present, smile on her face.

“But what about outside the classroom?” Ron says loudly, causing others to nod along with what he’s saying.

“Mr. Weasley, raise your hand and wait to be called on before speaking.” She says instead of answering. After Ron raises his hand, she turns away and pointedly ignores him. Hermione, also having her hand raised decides that with Umbridge not calling on them, she’ll just say what is needed to be said.

“What about the practical portion of the exams? How are we-” 

“Detention Ms. Granger,” Umbridge says, interrupting her. Hermione, along with the class, quiets. Umbridge, realizing she has her class is back under control for the moment, ‘hem-hem’s again before smiling. “Back to reading your book now,” she says pleasantly. Everyone, not wishing for a detention along with Granger, does as she says.

\---

“You will explain everything,” Marvolo demands and yeah, no. 

“How about I don’t?” Harry replies immediately without thinking. He can see Marvolo’s eyebrow twitch, but thankfully the man doesn’t do anything. “My life is not some storybook that you can just pick up and read whenever you feel like it,” he says more calmly than he actually feels. How dare the man just expect for him to tell him everything. Marvolo lets out a sigh of aggravation but decides not to say anything, only deeming to pick up his book and open it. The man says one last thing that Harry, despite himself, shivers at.

“You’ll tell me everything eventually. I’ll make sure of it.”

\---

Hermione walked morosely to Umbridge’s office. She had never gotten a detention that she didn’t deserve in some way. All her other detentions had been from helping her friends save the day. She believes she didn’t even really do much wrong. Yes, she spoke against a teacher, but for very valid concerns! If she really thought about it, she’d believe Umbridge had just been waiting for the opportunity to give someone a detention; she had just been the first. There had been no loss of points to warn a student, simply a detention.

She wonders if it truly is the same woman Harry had been talking about from his trial. It would make sense that her, being a friend of Harry’s, would get an immediate detention for speaking out. She doesn’t have enough information though to really decide if it’s just Harry’s friends, or anyone.

Walking into the room her first thought, embarrassingly enough is: “this is a lot of pink.” Now, Hermione doesn’t hate or love pink, she’s actually quite indifferent to it. This much pink though… it’s just horrid. Pink walls, pink furniture, even the plates on the wall with kittens were mostly pink. The kittens themselves had, of course, pink bows around their necks. It was like the woman saw a bottle of pepto bismol and decided that was how she wished to live. The room was simply a blur of pink. It made Hermione a little nauseated to be quite honest.

Sitting down in the desk in front of the woman who almost blends in with the walls, Hermione looks at Umbridge waiting for her instructions. There’s a few pieces of parchment along with a quill on the desk.

“You’ll be writing lines. You’ll write the phrase ‘I will not question my betters’.” Umbridge smiles while saying this. Hermione can’t help but see the smile as more of an evil grin than anything. Hermione looks at the desk for an inkpot, and finding no such thing begins to reach into her bag only to be interrupted by Umbridge. “You won’t be needing any inkpot. Begin writing.” Umbridge almost has a hungry look on her face as Hermione hesitantly picks up the quill. Hermione realizes something though just before she’s about to start writing.

“How many lines will I write, Professor?” She asks, only for the hungry expression turn into an annoyed look. She almost feels proud of herself.

“Until I feel satisfied, now begin your detention!” Hermione, understanding that she pushing her luck begins to write the phrase given to her. It doesn’t take long for her to figure out why she wouldn’t need ink. Looking down at her hand she can see the angry red skin.

“Thi- this cannot be allowed!” She stutters at her joyous professor.

“Another detention Ms. Granger. Now continue,” Umbridge responds with clear satisfaction in her voice. Hermione, knowing arguing more will just result in more detentions, gives the professor one last look of fear before continuing to write. She tries to keep as quiet as possible, as she knows Umbridge would only enjoy her sounds of pain, but she can’t help a few winches from being let out. This is not acceptable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried to follow the canon as much as I could remember offhand. The differences are because of the fact that Umbridge doesn't hate Harry's friends as much as she hates Harry himself. This is why Umbridge didn't give Hermione a week of detention or anything and why she wasn't baiting Hermione as much as she would Harry.

**Author's Note:**

> New to writing, so if anything seems OOC I'm sorry :/ If you find any typos please tell me, the chapters will be edited later. Chapters will also generally be short so beware.


End file.
